Tapestry needles or cross stitch needles are blunt-pointed so that they can pass between the threads. One other characteristic is their large eye to hold many threads of floss. They come in different thickness. You can find different sizes of needles for many counts of fabrics. Needles for cross stitch are the smaller size - 24, 26, 28.

Needles will eventually discolor and mark hands and fabric so remember not to leave the needle in your fabric. There are different qualities of nickel plating. Gold needles are the best as they will not discolor. However they are more expensive.

Different sizes below for aida and evenweave fabrics:
Needle size 18: 6 count aida fabric
Needle size 20: 8 count aida fabric
Needle size 22: 11 count aida fabric AND 22-25-27 count evenweave
Needle size 24: 14 count aida fabric AND 28 count evenweave
Needle size 26: 16 count aida fabric AND 32 count evenweave AND 22 count hardanger
Needle size 28: 18 count aida fabric AND 36-55 count evenweave

If you are not sure what size of needle to choose for your fabric, do this little test. The needle should be small enough to pass through the fabric easily but it should require a little pressure to push it through.

Tip: If you are stitching with French knots, use an embroidery needle. This is a sharp thin needle that will assist with securing the knots into the weave of the fabric. The embroidery needle also has a smaller eye than the tapestry needle.

I hope you found this information useful when choosing needles for your cross stitch projects.

By: Yiota Christodoulou

Needles, Counted Cross Stitch, Cross Stitch Patterns, Cross Stitch Needles

cross stitch